1981 in Japanese music
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In 1981 (Shōwa 56), Japanese music was released on records and performed in concerts, and there were charts, awards, contests and festivals.
During that year, Japan continued to have the second largest music market in the world,[1][2] eleven percent of all record sales took place in that country,[3] and the value of tapes and records made there was $1.15 billion.[4]
Awards, contests and festivals
[edit]The 10th Tokyo Music Festival was held on 29 March 1981.[5][6][7] The 23rd Osaka International Festival (Japanese: 大阪国際フェスティバル) was held from 8 to 28 April 1981.[8] The 21st Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 10 May 1981.[9] The 22nd Yamaha Popular Song Contest was held on 4 October 1981.[10] The 12th World Popular Song Festival was held on 1 November 1981.[11][12] The 12th Japan Music Awards were held on 12 November 1981.[13] The final of the 10th FNS Music Festival was held on 15 December 1981.[14][15] The 23rd Japan Record Awards were held on 31 December 1981.[16] The 32nd NHK Kōhaku Uta Gassen was held on 31 December 1981.[17]
Concerts
[edit]The economic recession adversely affected concerts.[18] Pioneer Live Special concerts were held in 1981.[19]
Number one singles
[edit]Oricon
The following reached number 1 on the weekly Oricon Singles Chart:[20][21]
| Issue date | Song | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|
| January 5 | "Sneaker Blues" | Masahiko Kondō |
| January 12 | ||
| January 19 | ||
| January 26 | "Koi wa Do!" | Toshihiko Tahara |
| February 2 | ||
| February 9 | "Cherry Blossom" | Seiko Matsuda |
| February 16 | ||
| February 23 | ||
| March 2 | ||
| March 9 | "Machikado Twilight" | Chanels |
| March 16 | ||
| March 23 | ||
| March 30 | "Ruby no Yubiwa" | Akira Terao |
| April 6 | ||
| April 13 | ||
| April 20 | ||
| April 27 | ||
| May 4 | ||
| May 11 | ||
| May 18 | ||
| May 25 | ||
| June 1 | ||
| June 8 | "Natsu no Tobira" | Seiko Matsuda |
| June 15 | ||
| June 22 | "Blue Jeans Memory" | Masahiko Kondō |
| June 29 | ||
| July 6 | ||
| July 13 | "Nagai Yoru" | Chiharu Matsuyama |
| July 20 | ||
| July 27 | ||
| August 3 | "Shiroi Parasol" | Seiko Matsuda |
| August 10 | ||
| August 17 | ||
| August 24 | "High School Lullaby" | Imo-kin Trio |
| August 31 | ||
| September 7 | ||
| September 14 | ||
| September 21 | ||
| September 28 | ||
| October 5 | ||
| October 12 | "Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku" | Masahiko Kondō |
| October 19 | ||
| October 26 | "Kaze Tachinu" | Seiko Matsuda |
| November 2 | "Gingiragin ni Sarigenaku" | Masahiko Kondō |
| November 9 | ||
| November 16 | ||
| November 23 | ||
| November 30 | "Akujo" | Miyuki Nakajima |
| December 7 | ||
| December 14 | ||
| December 21 | "Sailor Fuku to Kikanjū" | Hiroko Yakushimaru |
| December 28 |
The Best Ten
The following reached number 1 on The Best Ten chart:
- 27 August: "Shiroi Parasol" - Seiko Matsuda[22]
Number one albums and LPs
[edit]Oricon
The following reached number 1 on the Oricon chart:
- 12 October, 19 October and 26 October: Tsukasa - Tsukasa Itou[23]
Music Labo
The following reached number 1 on the Music Labo chart:
- 21 December: Over - Off Course[24]
- 7 December and 14 December: Kishoutenketsu II - Chiharu Matsuyama[25]
- 16 November and 30 November: Sakuban Oai Shimashou - Yumi Matsutoya[26]
- 2 November and 9 November: Kaze Tachinu - Seiko Matsuda[27]
- 19 October and 26 October: Tsukasa - Tsukasa Itou[28]
- 7 September, 14 September, 21 September, 28 September, 5 October and 12 October: Selection 1978-1981 - Off Course[29]
- 10 August, 17 August, 24 August and 31 August: Stereo Taiyo Zoku - Southern All Stars[30]
- 27 July and 3 August: Live at Whiskey A Go Go - Chanels[31]
- 13 July and 20 July: Utsuroi - Masashi Sada[32]
- 29 June: Toki O Koete - Chiharu Matsuyama[33]
- 22 June and 6 July: Reflections - Akira Terao[34]
Cash Box of Japan
The following reached number 1 on the Cash Box of Japan chart:
- 9 May: Heart & Soul - Chanels[35]
- 11 April, 18 April, 25 April and 2 May: Ringetsu - Miyuki Nakajima[36]
- 28 March and 4 April: Bucchigiri II (Japanese: ぶっちぎりII) - Yokohama Ginbae[37]
Film and television
[edit]The music of Station (1981), by Ryudo Uzaki, won the 36th Mainichi Film Award for Best Music (awarded in 1981),[38] and the 5th Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Music (awarded in 1982).[39]
NHK Pops Hall was first broadcast on 7 April 1981.[40][41][42] (Also translated "NHK Song Hall" and "NHK Kayo Hall").
Compositions
[edit]- First version of Toward the Sea by Tōru Takemitsu[43]
Overseas
[edit]Eyes of the Mind, by Casiopea, reached number 33 on the Billboard Jazz LPs chart.[44]
Other singles released
[edit]- Last Pretender and Oh! by Pink Lady
- Suzume by Keiko Masuda
- Mamotte Agetai by Yumi Matsutoya
- Orange Airmail Special and Lens Eye by Saki Kubota
- 15 October: Hello Goodbye by Yoshie Kashiwabara[45]
Other albums released
[edit]- A Long Vacation by Eiichi Ohtaki
- Sayonara Pink Lady by Pink Lady
- I My Mie by Mie
- BGM and Technodelic by Yellow Magic Orchestra
- Neuromantic by Yukihiro Takahashi
- Airmail Special by Saki Kubota
- Cross Point by Casiopea
- Potpourri by P-Model
- The Birthday Eve by Loudness
History
[edit]The song Unazuki March by the Unazuki Trio was recorded on 14 November 1981.[46]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- J-POPの歴史「1980年と1981年、劇的だった80年代の幕開け」. Rolling Stone Japan. 23 December 2019.
- Oricon magazine
- Music Labo magazine
- 新譜ジャーナル magazine
- 1981 オリコン年鑑 Oricon Annual Report.
- 1982 オリコン年鑑 Oricon Annual Report
- ^ Tokita and Hughes. The Ashgate Research Companion to Japanese Music. 2008. p 355.
- ^ Gronow and Saunio. International History of the Recording Industry. 1998. Reprinted 1999.p 209.
- ^ Howard Smith (ed). Inside Japan. BBC. 1981. p 65.
- ^ Billboard. 29 May 1982. pp J-1.
- ^ The Nolans on stage At 10th Tokyo Music Festival 1981. Getty Images.
- ^ "7.00 - 10th Tokyo Music Festival" in "MBS [4]". The Japan Times. 29 March 1981. No 29533. p 7. col 2.
- ^ "Nolans Win Grand Prize At Tokyo Music Festival". The Japan Times. 31 March 1981. No 29535. p 2.
- ^ 1981年度のラインナップ. Asahi Shimbun Foundation.
- ^ 第21回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation.
- ^ 第22回 ポピュラーソングコンテスト. Yamaha Music Foundation.
- ^ "Winners Chosen For 12th Pop Song Fest In Tokyo". Billboard. 14 November 1981. p 112.
- ^ "23 Entries in Yamaha World Festival". Billboard. 3 October 1981. p 59.
- ^ 波瀾万丈 山川豊歌い続けて４０年. ZAKZAK from the Sankei Shimbun. 5 May 2020.
- ^ (1981) 朝日新聞縮刷版 (Asahi Shimbun shukusatsuban). Issue 726. p 24 headed "1981 年(昭和 56 年) 12 月 15 日閉."
- ^ "FNS Song Festival '81". The Japan Times. 15 December 1981. No 29789.
- ^ 第２３回 日本レコード大賞. Japan Composer's Association.
- ^ 第32回NHK紅白歌合戦. NHK.
- ^ "Japanese Promoters Gear Up For International Acts". Billboard. 22 May 1982. pp 38 & 65.
- ^ "Monterey Japan Shows Pull Crowds, Most SRO". Billboard. 14 November 1981. p 99.
- ^ 1981年3月9日 シャネルズの「街角トワイライト」がオリコン・シングル・チャート1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcast System. 9 March 2018.
- ^ See the weekly issues of Oricon magazine
- ^ 1981年8月27日、松田聖子「白いパラソル」がザ・ベストテンの1位を獲得～松田聖子の第一期と二期を結ぶ重要曲. News Online. Nippon Broadcast System. 27 August 2018.
- ^ 1981年の本日、10月19日、伊藤つかさ『つかさ』がオリコン・アルバムチャートの1位を獲得. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 19 October 2018.
- ^ Billboard. 26 December 1981, p 82.
- ^ Billboard. 19 December 1981, p 74. 12 December 1981, p 53.
- ^ Billboard. 5 December 1981, p 69. 21 November 1981, p 87.
- ^ Billboard. 14 November 1981, p 101. 7 November 1981, p 75.
- ^ Billboard. 7 November 1981, p 75. 31 October 1981, p 101. 24 October 1981, p 73.
- ^ Billboard. 17 October 1981, p 73. 10 October 1981, p 87. 3 October 1981, p 64. 26 September 1981, p 68. 19 September 1981, p 76.
- ^ Billboard. 12 September 1981, p 73. 5 September 1981, p 61. 29 August 1981, p 69. 22 August 1981, p 57.
- ^ Billboard. 15 August 1981, p 79. 8 August 1981, p 61.
- ^ Billboard. 1 August 1981, p 63. 25 July 1981, p 65. 18 July 1981, p 73.
- ^ Billboard. 4 July 1981, p 77.
- ^ Billboard. 11 July 1981, p 61. 4 July 1981, p 77.
- ^ Cash Box. 9 May 1981, p 36.
- ^ Cash Box. 2 May 1981, p 38. 25 April 1981, p 35. 18 April 1981, p 76. 11 April 1981, p 33.
- ^ Cash Box. 4 April 1981, p 35. 28 March 1981, p 43. See 7 March 1981, p 37 for this spelling.
- ^ 第36回 日本映画大賞
- ^ Prizes.
- ^ "8:00-**NHK Pops Hall". The Japan Times. 7 April 1981. No 29542. p 10. col 1.
- ^ NHK歌謡ホール. NHK.
- ^ 歌謡番組. NHK.
- ^ Stacy and Henderson (eds). Encyclopedia of Music in the 20th Century. p 625.
- ^ Billboard. 11 July 1981. p 57.
- ^ 1981年の今日10月15日、柏原よしえ（芳恵）の「ハロー・グッバイ」が発売～初出はアグネス・チャンのB面曲だった. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 15 October 2018.
- ^ 1981年11月14日、大瀧詠一プロデュース「うなずきマーチ」がレコーディング～歌うのは紳助・竜介、ツービート、B&Bのうなずき役によって結成されたうなずきトリオ. News Online. Nippon Broadcasting System. 14 November 2018.